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Search parties have escorted all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with hundreds of regional escorts and yak herders, local government stated. This marks the end one of the biggest search-and-rescue operations ever undertaken in the area.

Massive Evacuation Operation Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were left stranded in deep snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce blizzard unleashed heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other support staff were rescued, according to official statements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Conditions

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation worsened.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was heavy in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also thwarted the objectives of mountaineers escorted by a US-based mountaineering company to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by international adventurers a long time ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel attraction, the area has attracted an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region is still currently off-limits to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person died, due to a mix of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically clear and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”